The Introduction of The Nightingale and the Rose by Oscar Wilde

The Introduction of The Nightingale and the Rose by Oscar Wilde

"But the Tree cried to the Nightingale…" to the end of the story.

Oscar Wilde's story, "The Nightingale and the Rose", takes on the

familiar fairytale form, however Wilde also incorporates modern issues

in his writing. He uses the basic structure of a fairy story to

communicate these issues with the reader.

In this extract we see the Nightingale pressing her breast against the

thorn in an effort to create a red rose for the student. As she

presses closer the rose grows deeper in colour, "louder and louder

grew her song, for she sang of the birth of passion". The louder and

more meaningful her song becomes, the deeper the crimson colour of the

rose becomes. "And a delicate flush of pink came into the leaves of

the rose, like the flush in the face of the bridegroom when he kisses

the lips of the bride." Here Wilde uses a simile to describe the

colour seen. This simile is carefully chosen to reflect upon modern

life and fairytale imagery.

This story uses familiar aspects of fairytales such as repetition and

groups of three.

"The Tree cried to the Nightingale to press close against the thorn.

'Press closer, little Nightingale,' cried the Tree, 'or Day will come

before the rose is finished.'" This is repeated and gives the

Nightingale's sacrifice a deserved emphasis. In addition to repetition

of speech Wilde also uses repetition to stress other clauses, "Bitter,

bitter was the pain, and wilder and wilder grew her song".

In "The Nightingale and the Rose" personification is used habitually.

In the quote above we see how "the Tree" and "Day" are personified.

...

... middle of paper ...

...h to the great price paid by the Nightingale to

produce the only red rose. And the rose is thrown onto the ground,

falls in the gutter and run over by a cartwheel. This exaggerates the

ignorance of society. "'What a silly thing Love is…'" comments the

Student as he returns to a "great dusty book".

In this deep story the Nightingale represents Wilde, the Student

represents the ignorant society and the rose represents the artistic

creation. Oscar Wilde himself being an artist in the way of writer,

poet and art lecturer, criticises society's lack of appreciation for

the arts. He uses a fairy story to reflect on modern life by using the

illustration of the tale to portray his view. "'The Nightingale and

the Rose' deals not only with the nature of romance and true love but

also with art and the sacrifice of the artist."